I'M JIM DEFEDE.
WELCOME TO FACING SOUTH
FLORIDA.
IN FIVE WEEKS THE FLORIDA
LEGISLATURE WILL BEGIN ITS 60
DAY SESSION.
THE JANUARY 9 START DATE COMES
EARLY THIS YEAR.
THERE IS A LOT TO DEAL WITH.
THERE IS THE EFFECT HURRICANE
IRMA HAS ON THE STATE BUDGET.
NURSING HOME REFORM WITH THE
DEATHS OF A DOZEN RESIDENTS
FROM THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS
NURSING HOME.
THERE ARE PROPOSALS TO VERY
VAMP COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
AND SENT AGAINST SEXUAL
HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS AND
REPORTS OF SPYING THAT ROCKED
TALLAHASSEE.
SO, AS I SAID, IT'S A BUSY
TIME.
JOINING ME TO PREVIEW THE
SESSION IS THE SPEAKER OF THE
FLORIDA HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, RICHARD CORE
INVESTIGATOR RAN, A REPUBLICAN
FROM LAND O'LAKES, NORTH OF
TAMPA.
MR. SPEAKER, THANK YOU FOR
COMING IN AGAIN.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME, JIM.
IT'S A GOOD TIME TO GET YOU
IN BEFORE THE SESSION STARTS.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE OPTIMISM
OF WHAT THE SESSION PROVIDES.
BEFORE WE GET TO THE OPTIMISM,
LET'S SEE WHAT THE NEWS IS OF
THE DAY.
SCAM IS AN ISSUE WE SEE ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
ONE OF THE STATE SENATORS HAD
TO RESIGN FOLLOWING ALLEGATIONS
OF A WRONGFUL SEXUAL AFFAIR.
CHAIRMAN OF THE FLORIDA
DEMOCRATIC PARTY STEPPED DOWN
OVER SCAM CLAIMS AND JACK
LATVALA IS BEING HIT WITH
THESE.
WHAT IS GOING ON.
YOU ARE SEEING IT NATIONWIDE
AND IN THE HOLLYWOOD,
WASHINGTON, D.C., IN THE
NEWSCASTERS.
TODAY ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WAS
FIRED BECAUSE OF SEXUAL
HARASSMENT.
IT'S A PERVASIVE THING.
THAT'S WHY WE TOOK THE LEAD.
IF YOU REMEMBER, NINE MONTHS
AGO BEFORE THIS BROKE AND WE
TOOK OVER THE LEGISLATURE, WE
INSTITUTED THE TOUGHEST
ARGUABLY SEXUAL HARASSMENT
POLICIES AND RULES AND
REGULATIONS IN THE HOUSE RULES
TO DEAL WITH THAT.
WE HAVE MANDATORY TRAINING FOR
EVERY MEMBER SO THAT THEY WERE
WITHOUT EXCUSE FOR WHAT IS AND
WHAT IS NOT SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
IT'S DONE A JOB FOR GOING INTO
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN
FLORIDA AND CLEANING UP THE
BEHAVIOR AND CLEANING UP AN
ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE CAN
GO, THRIVE AND WORK AND ENJOY
THEIR PRODUCTIVITY.
SO, YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT
THERE IS NO SEXUAL HARASSMENT
GOING ON IN THE FLORIDA HOUSE?
NO, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT
WHAT WE DID INSTITUTING THE
TOUGHEST LAWS, TRAINING IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS
DRAMATICALLY MOVED THE NEEDLE
TO CREATING THAT ENVIRONMENT
WHERE THAT HOPEFULLY WON'T TAKE
PLACE.
YOU CAN'T GOVERN AGAINST HUMAN
NATURE.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DO BAD
THINGS.
THAT'S THE HISTORY OF MANKIND.
I WANT TO GET-
YOU CAN KEEP AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE PEOPLE ARE SAFE.
ON THE HOUSE SIDE -- I KNOW
THERE IS AN ISSUE ON THE SENATE
SIDE.
ON THE HOUSE SIDE IF SOMEONE
FEELS THEY ARE THE VICTIM OF
SEXUAL HARASSMENT, WHO DO THEY
REPORT TO.
WE HAVE AN H.R.
THEY CAN GO STRAIGHT TO H.R.
AN ATTORNEY WHO IS --
WORK FOR YOU AS SPEAKER.
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE
LEGISLATURE.
SHOULD IT BE SOMEONE
INDEPENDENT?
THE SENATE IS GRAPPLING WITH
THIS.
WE CAN USE THE OFFICE OF
LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
SERVICES BUT ALL OF THOSE THAT
-- THEY CAN GO TO THEIR PARTY
REPRESENTATIVE, THEY CAN GO TO
THEIR CHAIRMAN.
THEY CAN GO TO PRO TEM, TO THE
-- OUR HUMAN RESOURCE PERSON,
TO OUR GENERAL COUNCIL, ANY OF
THOSE SITUATIONS AND, HONESTLY,
JIM, WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE
THEY BUBBLE UP, AN ALLEGATION,
WE DEAL WITH IT QUICKLY,
SWIFTLY, INVESTIGATE IT AND THE
ABSOLUTE DE FACTO POSITION OF
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS
THAT THE PERSON WHO IS MAKING
THAT ALLEGATION IS GOING TO GET
100% DEFERENCE AND COVER AND
COMFORT THROUGH THE PROCESS
BECAUSE WE HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE
IN THE HOUSE.
TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE HAS THE
HOUSE PAID ANY SETTLEMENTS TO
SETTLE SEXUAL HARASSMENT
CLAIMS.
NO.
AN ARTICLE -- NOT SINCE MY
INVOLVEMENT IN THE LEGISLATURE.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE ABOUT 30
YEARS AGO A JOINT LEGISLATIVE
STAFFER THAT GOT A SETTLEMENT.
JACK LATVALA IS FACING
ALLEGATIONS.
YOU CALLED FOR HIM TO RESIGN.
WHY DOUBLE HE SHOULD RESIGN
WHEN HE IS PROTESTING HIS
INNOCENCE?
I DON'T THINK HE IS.
I THINK THERE HAS BEEN AN
ADMISSION.
THERE HAS BEEN AN ADMISSION
THAT HE KISSED A LOBBYIST.
THERE WAS AN ADMISSION THAT HE
WAS INVOLVED IN --
THAT WAS A CONSENSUAL KISS.
I DON'T THINK -- WHETHER
IT'S HARVEY WEINSTEIN OR
ANYBODY ELSE, A DISPARITY IN
POWER, THEN THAT LEADS TO A
QUESTION OF IS IT OR IS IT NOT
SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SHOULD BE
INVESTIGATED.
THERE HAS BEEN AN ADMISSION OF
BEING INVOLVED WITH SEAR
COLLEAGUE WHO HAS COMMITTED
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, RESIGNED
OVER THAT SEXUAL MISCONDUCT AND
NOT FULLY DIVULGING THAT
MISCONDUCT.
THAT IS AN ISSUE FOR THE RULES
COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT AND TODAY
THROUGH ALL THE ACTIVITIES
TAKING PLACE, ONE OF THE
VICTIMS CAME OUT PUBLICLY AND
THE REPORTS ARE GROTESQUE.
I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR, TOO,
JIM.
YOU COULD BE HARVEY WEINSTEIN.
YOU CAN BE STRIPPED OF YOUR
COMPANY, STRIPPED OF YOUR
INPUT, ONLY YOUR WORDS GONE.
YOU CAN BE A TV ANNOUNCER,
WHATEVER, STRIPPED OF
EVERYTHING, TAKEN AWAY.
WHY DO WE WAIT SO SLOWLY WHEN
IT COMES TO POLITICAL FIGURES.
YOU HAVE JOHN CONYERS IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. THESE ARE
FOLKS THAT THERE SHOULD BE
GREATER PRESSURE PUT UPON THOSE
PEOPLE.
SHOULD THE PRESIDENT RESIGN?
PRESIDENT OF --
THE UNITED STATES.
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TWO
DIFFERENT THINGS.
THE SIGNIFICANT FACTOR WHETHER
IT'S SENATOR LATVALA ARE
ADMISSIONS OF BEHAVIOR.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN
ADMISSION BY THE PRESIDENT AND
A SEXUAL MISCONDUCT FILING THAT
HAS HIM SAYING, YEAH, I ENGAGED
IN THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO DWELL ON
THIS MUCH I WANT TO -- WE ARE
TAPING THIS ON WEDNESDAY JUST
SO EVERYONE IS CLEARMENT ON
WEDNESDAY POLITICAL FLORIDA
IDENTIFIED THE WOMAN, SHE CAME
FORWARD FILED A COMPLAINT
AGAINST JACK LATVALA IN THE
SENATE.
THERE IS TALK THIS WOMAN MAY BE
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED BECAUSE
HER HUSBAND IS A CAMPAIGN
CONSULTANT AND REPUBLICAN
OPERATIVE.
YOU ARE A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE
FOR GOVERNOR.
YOU WILL DECIDE AFTER THE
SESSION.
DO YOU KNOW BRIAN HUGHES WHO IS
THE WOMAN'S HUSBAND.
DO YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH
HER, THE WOMAN INVOLVED IN THE
CASE?
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IF ANY.
THE ANSWER IS NONE.
LET'S ADDRESS THAT POINT.
NONE, NEVER HIRED THEM, NEVER
PARTICIPATED, NEVER WORKED WITH
THEM ON ANY LEVEL PAST,
PRESIDENT, FUTURE, NONE.
THE QUESTION AND THAT ARGUMENT
IS SO EFFECTIVE, JIM.
YOU ARE TELLING ME HAD THAT
BEEN TRUE, HAD I HAD A
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS WIFE,
SOMEHOW SOMEWAY IN A WORK
CAPACITY, YOU ARE TELLING ME
BECAUSE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP
THAT DISQUALIFIES A WOMAN FROM
BEING SEXUALLY HAS RARE IS ADD
-- HAS RACED AND GROPED.
NOBODY SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO
SPECIAL HARASSMENT AND
DISQUALIFIED BECAUSE OF THE
RELATIONSHIP.
THAT IS OFFENSIVE.
LET'S MOVE ON.
THE IMPACT OF HURRICANE IRMA ON
THE STATE BUDGET.
THE STATE HAS TO PASS A BUDGET.
WHAT IS THE EFFECT THAT
HURRICANE IRMA WILL HAVE ON THE
STATE BUDGET THIS YEAR?
THE HURRICANE EFFECTS
NORMALLY CAN TRICKLE IN OVER
SIX MONTHS A YEAR, TWO YEARS,
THREE YEARS.
THOSE IMPACTS.
BUT IT WILL HAVE AN EFFECT.
THE EFFECT FOR US IN THE NEXT
LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE
CONVENED A SELECT COMMITTEE,
GOT IN FRONT OF IT AND LOOKED
AT THE THINGS THAT WERE
PROBLEMATIC.
LOOKED AT THE HOUSING FOR
HURRICANE SHELTERS, TRAFFIC
COMING IN AND OUT OF THE STATE,
THE GAS RESERVES AND THE
PROBLEM WITH THE LINES AND
GASES AND THE QUANTITIES OF
OUTAGES THAT WE HAD AS A RESULT
OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH
UNDERGROUND UTILITIES.
OBVIOUSLY THE MOST EGREGIOUS
WAS THE NURSING HOME DEATHS.
WE WILL GET TO THAT.
DO YOU SEE SHORTFALLS THAT WILL
ROLL ACROSS CUTS TO THE STATE
BUDGET.
TODAY I WAS READING ANOTHER
$200 MILLION FOR THE MONTH OF
OCTOBER AS A RESULT OF THE
EFFECTS OF HURRICANE.
WE WILL SEE SIGNIFICANT
EFFECTS.
IT WILL BE A TIGHT BUDGET YEAR.
FROM HURRICANE IRMA, FIRST TIME
IT HIT BASICALLY IN 67
COUNTIES, GOES IT'S GOING OUT
AND FIXING THOSE THINGS THAT WE
SAW THOSE THINGS THAT DIDN'T
WORK AND MAKING OUR PLACE A
BETTER PLACE FOR CITIZENS AND
SAFER PLACE.
WE LEAD THE NATION WITH
DISASTER.
WE DID A JOB.
THERE ARE PLACES THAT WE CAN
IMPROVE.
THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR PUBLIC
SERVICE TO HAVE RATE HIKES.
FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT WILL
SEEK $1 BILLION TO THE COST OF
REPAIRS TO THEIR SYSTEM.
SHOULD THEY BE REQUIRED TO
JUSTIFY THAT EXPENSE BEFORE
THEY RECEIVE APPROVAL FOR IT?
FOR INSTANCE, WITH HURRICANE
MATTHEW THEY RECEIVED A RATE
INCREASE BUT WITH HURRICANE
MATTHEW, THEY RECEIVED THE
MONEY, THEY HAVEN'T JUSTIFIED
THE AMOUNT THAT THEY REQUESTED.
DO YOU SUPPORT FPL'S DECISION
TO SEEK THE MONEY AND SHOULD
THEY HAVE TO JUSTIFY IT?
ABSOLUTELY.
SHOULD THEY JUSTIFY IT
BEFORE THEY GET THE INCREASE.
IF YOU GO THROUGH THAT
PROCESS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU
MEAN JUSTIFY BEFORE THE
INCREASE.
THEY HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE PSC,
HERE ARE THE LOSSES, HERE IS
WHY?
AND THEY VOTE TO LOOK AT THOSE
JUSTIFICATIONS AND DECIDE
WHETHER TO GIVE THEM A RATE
INCREASE.
YOU TALKED ABOUT NURSING
HOMES.
LET'S SAVE THAT FOR A SECOND.
ONE THING I WANTED TO FOLLOW-UP
ON -- LET'S TAKE A BREAK HERE.
IT'S LEANER TO TAKE A BREAK